High-tech supplier Thales Canada, which serves the defence, security, aerospace, and transportation industries, reported annual growth of 18 per cent for 2012, with contracts awarded totaling over $570 million. The company exceeded its growth targets, winning new business in emerging markets, as well as increasing orders in existing markets.
One of the new markets is India, where Hyderabad will be the first city in India to use Communications-Based Train Control technology from Thales on its metro line, said Paul Kahn, President and CEO of Thales Canada. Thales was also awarded a contract to re-signal the Singapore metro, as well as the contract to resignal the monorail at Walt Disney World in Florida.
The company also secured its second driver-less train system in Brazil. Also, the company maintained its position as the “key developer” of army command and control software. It is the number one supplier of uncooled optronics systems to the Canadian military, Kahn said.
Thales also has a “strong order backlog” and solid opportunities in urban rail signaling and electronic systems integration for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard.
In avionics developments, Thales provided Flight Control Electronics for Gulfstream’s new G650 business jet, which received flight worthiness certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The company also inaugurated a new facility, Thales Research and Technology Canada, in Quebec City, the fifth of Thales’ R&D facilities in the world and the first in North America.